DESCRIPTION (Taken from Application): In consonance with the national RISE Program, the "RISE at the UPR-MSC" is a multi-faceted initiatives/program designed to enhance the research environment of the UPR-MSC. In its configuration it takes full advantage of the enhanced flexibility in the faculty and students development activities. In this fashion the program impacts tremendously on the participation and motivation of minority faculty and students at the UPR-MSC, whilst furthering the development of the institution's research capabilities. The program's name is the promotional slogan or motto, "RISE at the UPR-MSC." And in its simplicity embarks the ultimate goal of the initiative, that is the elevation of the scientific stature of biomedical research scientists and the institution in a synergistic manner. The main goal of the "RISE at the UPR-MSC" Program is to enhance the research environment of the Medical Sciences Campus (MSC) of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), a biomedical research and health educational center of central importance for Hispanic Americans. We propose to achieve this long-term goal with the following developmental activities and their respective goals. Activity #1, Strategies To Increase Biomedical Research - To strengthen both the student pool and the quality of our biomedical graduate program through developing faculty-student relationships at the undergraduate level and to increase the research skills and capabilities of graduate and faculty members by providing specialized research experiences at collaborating institutions. Activity #2, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Seminar Series (IBRSS) - To enhance the development of a productive research environment at the UPR-MSC by the establishment of a dynamic Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Seminar Series (IBRSS). Activity #3, Student Scientific Skills Enhancement Activity (SSSEA) - To enhance the competitiveness and fundamental scientific skills of UPR-MSC undergraduate and graduate biomedical sciences students. Activity #4, Advanced Research Workshops for Students and Faculty - To enhance technical skills and research competitiveness of minority students and faculty at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. Activity #5, Research Participation of Students - To increase the interest, skills, and competitiveness of the biomedical sciences students of the UPR-MSC pursuing biomedical research careers. Activity #6, Development of Nursing Research - To promote the professional development in research of nurses and other health care professionals. To utilize research as a means to assure the delivery of quality health care services to the members of the Puerto Rican society and to apply nursing theories in the development of innovative clinical and education research. The goals just described and their corresponding components are very closely interrelated and potentiate each other. For example, a more competitive faculty will be able to attract more and better students; better prepared students will contribute to increase the quality of the research performed by the investigators and lead to increased productivity; and to facilitate new research training interests will in the long term lead to attract a more diversified, research-oriented population of students and faculty members in those units that participate in this initiative.